(CNN) - On the heels of John McCain's visit to New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, Hillary Clinton said Thursday night she has a better record of fighting to rebuild the Hurricane-ravaged region.

"The difference between Senator McCain and myself is that I have a long record of fighting to rebuild the Gulf and to help the citizens who live along the Gulf who were left to their own devices by their government," Clinton said at an Indiana event. "In fact, Senator McCain said he might want to tear down the ninth ward instead of rebuilding it, but I went to the ninth ward after Katrina and met with people there and saw the destruction and I saw the resilience in their eyes and they deserve our help to rebuild and regain their lives and their homes."

Clinton appears to be referring to comments McCain made Monday on board his campaign bus: "That is why we need to go back - to have a conversation about what to do - rebuild it, tear it down - you know -whatever it is," he said then.

But speaking in New Orleans Thursday night, McCain seemed to rule out the possibility of tearing down the area.

"There may be some who wonder from afar: Why even bother rebuilding parts of what was lost in Katrina? But the people who live there in the Ninth Ward don't feel that way. They are even hoping that life will be better than before," he said

soundoff(103 Responses)

What happened in Katrina was very sad...a failure of governments at local, state and federal levels.

The Lower 9th was a culturally significant community.

But, it's our money we're talking about spending.

It would be immoral to rebuild a community there without making it safe when the next hurricane hits. How much will this cost?

We could build a new community for these folks in the New Orleans area in a safer place, at a lower cost. We could take the money saved and build better schools and send kids to college.

I'd prefer that we bulldoze the Lower 9th and make it a memorial park for those that died. Let's look to the future of the living, and forget about trying to recapture a past that has been washed away.

April 25, 2008 02:20 pm at 2:20 pm |

Jay

is it just me or is Hillary always proclaiming how much of a "fighter" she is? if you ask me I think its the "fighting" that has caused our government to grind to a halt in being able to effectively deal with the problems facing americans today. I think the last thing this country needs is more fighting from a "fighter", how about someone who actually listens to both sides and thinks through the most appropriate action for the country and then invites both sides of the fight to help shape the solution. I think Obama has shown how effective he is at this ability, but thats just my two cents.

enough with the fighting, how about some cooperation?

April 25, 2008 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |

WH

I am sick of all involved bringing up Katrina and the Ninth Ward. Katrina DEVESTATED people in Mississippi and you never hear about them. Did everyone forget as well that the very next month Hurricane Rita completely wiped out many communities on the Gulf Coast in other areas of Louisiana and Texas. I never see anyone going to Holly Beach or Cameron, LA asking these people if they need some help rebuilding. Where is the help for them?